Improvement in barbed fences



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEG AARON J. NELLIS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BARBED FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 191,993, dated June 12, 1877 application led March 15, 1877.

.To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, AARON J. NELLIs, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Barbed Fences; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in Which- Figure l is a perspective view of a metallic t fence rail or strip provided with my improved barb. Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same. Fig. 3 is aidetached view of the barb, and Fig. 4 is a preliminary form which may be given to the barb before attaching it to the fence strip or rail. Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

My invention relates to improvements in barbs for metallic fence strips or rails, whereby a cheap and effective barb is obtained, and one readily applied to the rail either in manufacturiu g, in putting up a fence, or subsequent thereto, and this Without injury to, or loss of strength or material in, the fence-strip.

My invention consists iu a barb formed from wire or similar material, and having a loop or eye, through which passes the rail or strip, whereby the barb is secured to the strip without notching or slotting the strip.

I will now proceed to describe my invention, so that others skilled inthe art towhich it appertains may apply the same.

ln carrying out my invention, I employ light metallic strips, which can be readily twisted or otherwise connected to form a loop with projecting points or barbs. The preferable material is wire, which is cut in suitable lengths, and two or more pieces twisted or secured together for from one-fourth to one-third their length to form one barb, then looped in proportion to the width of the `rail or strip :with which they are to be employed, and the free ends finally twisted or otherwise fastened together to form the opposite barbs.

In the drawing, A indicates a metallic fence rail or strip, which may be plain or corrugated, made from hoop-iron, Bessemer steel, or other suitable material, and provided with barbs B. The barbs B have the twisted points b c and loop d, the Whole being formed on or attached to the rail A, at the time of manufacture, by bending the wire over the edges of the strip and seizing the two adjacent ends upon opposite sides with pliers and twisting in reverse direction. They may be applied to a fence in position in the same manner, or the wire may be twisted to form one barb, b, as shown in Fig. 4:,'and then secured to the rail by twisting the second barb, c, at the time of application.

For purposes of transportation it is desirable to form the barbs separately, as shown in Fig. 3, in which condition they can be conveniently packed, and can be readily slipped upon the rail or strip before securing the same to its posts in putting up a fence.

I am vaware that looped and twisted. wires have heretofore been employed for various purposes, and only herein claim with the limitations specified.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The looped wire or metallic fence-barb b c d, substantially as and for the purpose specied.

2. In combination with a metallic fence rail or strip, A, the twisted and looped barb b c d, secured thereon, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I, the said AARON J. NELLIS, have hereunto set my hand.

AARON J. NELLIS. Witnesses: v

JAMES I. KAY, J. K. SMITH. 

